About Cyphastrea
Cyphastrea is a diverse genus of encrusting stony corals found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, East Africa, Australia, Philippines, Fiji, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands. They are massive reef-building species that play important roles in creating complex three-dimensional habitat structures in their natural environments.
These corals are characterized by their distinctive small, cone-shaped corallites arranged in unique patterns that create their signature "meteor shower" appearance. The most recognizable feature of Cyphastrea is their tightly clustered polyps, which despite being classified as LPS, are actually much smaller than typical large polyp stony corals. Their skeletal structure consists of a calcium carbonate base with prominent corallites that house colorful polyps.
While primarily encrusting, rare branching and plating varieties exist, though these are significantly less common and typically slower-growing than their encrusting counterparts. Cyphastrea exhibits remarkable color diversity, from the classic blue base with red polyps of the famous "Meteor Shower" variety to rainbow morphs, bizarro patterns, purple people eater variants, and countless other stunning color combinations that can change based on lighting conditions and coral health.
Found naturally in shallow reef environments with moderate water movement, Cyphastrea species have become incredibly popular in the reef keeping hobby due to their exceptional hardiness, fast growth rates, and ability to thrive in lower light conditions that many other stony corals cannot tolerate.
Caring for Cyphastrea Coral
To ensure the best results for your Cyphastrea coral, please follow our suggestions on coral care below. It's important to test your tank's water often to ensure the parameters are within the correct range.
Water Parameters
- Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C)
- Salinity: 1.023-1.025
- pH: 8.0-8.4
- Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1250-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: <5 ppm
- Phosphate: <0.01 ppm
Lighting
Low to moderate lighting (50-150 PAR recommended) is needed for this coral species, and placement should be in the lower to middle areas of the tank.
Cyphastrea corals are specifically adapted for lower light conditions and can actually suffer under high intensity lighting. Unlike many stony corals that require intense illumination, Cyphastrea thrives in shadowy areas and dim locations within the reef tank.
Start with lower PAR levels around 50-100 and gradually increase if needed. Excessive lighting can cause bleaching, browning, or coral death. These corals are perfect for filling in those darker corners and lower areas of your reef that other corals cannot inhabit.
Water Flow
Water movement should be moderate and indirect, providing enough circulation to prevent detritus buildup without being too strong. Direct or excessive flow can damage the delicate tissue and prevent proper feeding.
Use powerheads or wave makers to create gentle, alternating flow patterns that keep the coral's surface clean while allowing polyps to extend and feed naturally.
Placement, Temperament, & Notes on Fish
Lower to middle areas of the tank are ideal for Cyphastrea placement. While these corals exhibit peaceful temperaments toward other species, they require careful spacing as they are fast-growing and will encrust over anything they touch, including other corals, glass, and equipment.
Plan placement on isolated rocks or areas where their rapid growth can be managed through regular fragging.
Certain fish species such as butterfly fish and some angelfish may nip at coral polyps. Ensure you choose reef-safe fish species that won't harass your Cyphastrea corals.
Feeding
Cyphastrea corals derive most of their nutrition from symbiotic zooxanthellae algae within their tissues through photosynthesis. However, they will benefit from supplemental feeding with phytoplankton, amino acids, finely ground meaty foods, mysis shrimp, or specialized coral foods. When target feeding, turn off flow for 10-15 minutes to allow the coral to capture and consume the food. Broadcast feeding works well, and these corals are more tolerant of higher nutrient levels than many other stony coral species.
With proper care, Cyphastrea coral is an incredibly rewarding and fast-growing addition to your reef tank. These hardy corals are perfect for beginners entering the world of stony corals while offering enough variety and beauty to satisfy even the most advanced collectors. Add these corals alongside various other species to create a diverse and thriving reef ecosystem that showcases the incredible diversity of Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
Explore Our Cyphastrea Coral Varieties!
At Sanctuary Aquatics, we have dozens of Cyphastrea coral varieties to choose from. These LPS corals come in an incredible range of colors and patterns that will captivate any reef enthusiast. From the classic Meteor Shower with its brilliant turquoise/blue base and orange/red polyps, to Rainbow varieties, to Bizarro patterns, you’ll love these stunning color combinations featuring greens, blues, purples, reds, oranges, and multi-colored displays!
Sanctuary Aquatics develops our Cyphastrea coral knowledge from marine science research and years of hands-on reef keeping experience. At our location, we've built specialized tank systems that create optimal conditions for our extensive Cyphastrea collection, utilizing lower light zones and moderate flow patterns that allow these corals to display their most vibrant colors and healthy growth patterns.
Contact our team today to see our Cyphastrea coral selection and get personal advice for your saltwater aquarium needs. As always, be sure to check out our full saltwater coral collection here to see all the species we have available.
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